Would You Recommend a Prius for me?

If it's more than you want to spend, do try to look for 2011 model Twos being cleared out. Or look for a used 2010 or 2009 (yes, the 09 is a previous gen).

It really does sound like you are due for a new/newer car that's more reliable. Since it sounds like reliability is important, even if you don't buy a Prius, I'd look to a model and make that has consistently average or above average reliability across all model years of all models. Toyota and Honda along w/their luxury nameplates both fit that well, but I wouldn't recommend a Honda hybrid.

I love the gas mileage of my Prius and love that fact that the gas engine doesn't uselessly run when stopped and at low speeds. I also like how it doesn't run at very low speeds, where it's also inefficient.

http://prius.wikia.com/wiki/Lifespan/Operating_costs might put yout mind at ease. However, since you live in a hot climate, I wouldn't be surprised if you need a replacement HV battery somewhere past 150K miles...maybe by 200K miles? http://prius.wikia.com/wiki/Failed_traction_%28HV%29_battery,_what_to_do%3F gives you an idea of what you can do, if that happens.

FWIW, I've never been stranded by car breakdowns...

 

+ 100 --- We love our used Prius. We have a daily commute of about 50 miles total. I had 2 Explorers previously - sold the older one and bought the Prius. Extremely happy with it, especially when I stop to fill it up. 50 mpg vs. about 20. And I am also very impressed with the engineering/technology in the Prius. Honestly, if I would have known how well this little car was made and how well it performs - I would have bought one a long time ago. If you get paid the Federal mileage rate for your travel -- I think a good used Prius w/b a great car for you - especially financially.

 

If the cost of the car is not too much of a stretch, I think the Prius would be a good choice. I'm a low-mileage driver, so I don't know about repairs after 100K miles, but the Prius, and Toyotas in general (Hondas also) have a very good record of reliability.

In general, the more miles you drive, the more benefit you get from high fuel efficiency.

If the cost of the car is a strain on your finances, then I would not recommend any new car. Priuses hold their value very well, so a used one might not be as much of a deal as other cars. In that case, a low-mileage used Civic or Corolla might be more economical in the long run. I drive a very expensive electric car because I don't like burning gas at all. But from a purely economic standpoint the cost difference between a new Prius and a used Civic will buy you a lot of gas, and as far as gas mileage, the Civic is no slouch.

If your daily driving is under 50 miles, you might look at the Nissan Leaf. It's ideal range is 100 miles, real-world typically around 85 miles, so 50 would always give you plenty of leeway. However, its long-term performance, reliability, and battery longevity are all unknown, as it's so new. It's probably more a car for the die-hard EV enthusiast until a couple three years have given it a bit of history.

To come back to where I began, if you can afford the Prius, it is an excellent, reliable, clean, and economical car.

 

I drive at least 1200 miles a month and live in your vicinity. 50.2 actual MPG after one year of ownership and I do not P&G. Compared to my truck, the car pays for itself in gas savings alone. Your gas allowance should more than cover cost. Now comming from a single parent family as a youngster, I appreciate your predicament. Only you can decide the "give and take" of car payment vs gas/upkeep based on your finances. Sounds like a new car is in order though. My Prius has had less problems than any car yet owned. I would stick with a Toyota or Honda whatever you do.

 

I agree with daniel.

Financially you'll not be able to justify a new Prius (even if the c is $20k) unless the vast majority of your driving is done in very heavy stop-and-go traffic where the even an efficient conventional subcompact or compact would struggle for fuel economy and the car would suffer much greater wear and tear than a Prius.

At the very least you need to change your mechanic to see if another one can resolve the fundamental source of your recurring problems. A reliable used car is usually the cheapest solution for a lower mileage driver, especially if you can learn to drive your vehicle economically (just avoiding wasting fuel).

If you can't resolve your current issues or you're driving a real gas hog you can look at an efficient used car or, at a cost premium for peace of mind, an efficient new car.

 

This does not sound like a good Prius scenario in my humble opinion. The Prius is not that efficient on short trips of 5-7 minutes duration. It starts to come into its element after that. Don't expect 50 MPG unless you can drive 10-15 minutes per trip.

 

Although, in Fort Worth the OP would have a relatively short warm-up time. Think of how much better you do late spring to early fall than late fall to early spring.

With the shorter warm-up time, the mileage should be reasonable, especially in comparison to the poor mileage likely in a conventional car in the same scenario.

I think the greater issue is the low number of miles rather than the short trips.

 

i would look at corolla or camry, probably more cost efficient in the short and long term. prius is not really for those on a limited budget. also, you're mechanic, most likely, wont be able to do much more that change the oil and etc. if you have an issue outside of warranty, you will probably have to go back to the dealer.

 

Hers in an excellent scenario for either a Plug-in-Prius or a Nissan Volt. Unfortunately the costs are prohibitive and she may never recover them. The biggest cost with any vehicle is depreciation. Using a full cost model based on a 150,000 mile vehicle life, a Honda Fit or Civic would be less expensive. The model changes drastically if fuel prices exceed $5/gallon.

 

That's why we really need to know more about the driving scenario and mileage. Tough stop-and-go urban with ICEV 20mpg and Prius 40mpg, 900 miles per month, gas $3.50/gallon saves $945/year in gas. 25mpg v 45mpg only $672.

 

Spend an hour in a library reading the April 2011 issue of Consumer Reports magazine. It's full of car buying advice and data on good economical recent used cars. A used Prius in good condition is probably not the lowest cost solution for your circumstances.

 

The bottom line is what you need and can afford now. Obviously you need reliable transportation. Used vehicles are a crap shot at best. A new Yaris, Corolla, Civic or Fit would be cheaper on the monthly, mileage would be Low to mid 30MPG. Prius would be higher on the monthly, but mileage will be close to 48/51MPG. Your driving usage is similar to mine on the other end of the metroplex. Do the math, but please stay away from the low priced Big Three offerings. I am a Mechanic by trade, trust me on this one.

 

This is a common misconception. The Prius maintenance costs are probably lower than that of a conventional vehicle for the first 100,000 miles. The hybrid components have no real maintenance costs for the first 100 to 150 thousand miles. Meanwhile the brakes will last longer; a lot longer. The recommended oil change interval is longer too.

Nevertheless, I would still encourage you to look at another vehicle based upon your diving habits IF COST IS YOUR PRIMARY CONCERN.

 

Toyota Financial Services There is a dealer here on this forum that will beat anyone here in DFW on the Warranty.

 

The main battery has a factory warranty of 100000 Miles. And if you drive at least 12 thousand miles a year, a new Prius 2 is an excellent buy right now, dealers are clearing the last of the 2011's, you really have to decide soon on the Prius, the 2012's are coming out next month and no immediate deals can be expected. Can't make up your mind in a hurry, then a Corolla or Civic will do the job for you, however I think that after 100000 miles you will have saved money with the Prius.

 

When I saw this newest post, I got really confused. Obviously, your original estimate is way off. You would be a decent candidate for Prius. I've never put 20K miles/year on any of my cars. That's a lot in my book but nothing compared to some other folks.

Over here in the Bay Area, I see specials like Specials on new and used cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, parts and service specials..

I was over there w/a friend who was in the market for a Prius and I'm pretty sure that $21,688 included destination charge. They had a # of colors available in model Two except for light silver (I forget the Toyota marketing name).

My friend ended up buying a model Three from another dealer for ~$22,060 (somewhere around there in the low $22K range), including destination charge, after the Toyota's Nor Cal $1K incentive. That amount is before tax, title and license. The other dealer did have a light silver Two and a decent selection of Twos and Threes.

The Toyota CPO used inventory in my area didn't look that great given the budget my friend had. Some used ones were relatively overpriced vs. buying a new one. Others were too well equipped, making them expensive.

I'm unaware of any extended warranty on the HV battery. If you're worried about failure after the 8 year/100K mile HV battery warranty (for the OP), I'd budget for maybe the $1675 (http://www.re-involt.com/FAQ.html) + installation for one from re-involt. Since you live in a hot climate, I might be concerned about it failing somewhere past 150K miles.

Although http://www.cars.com/go/advice/incentives/incentivesAll.jsp?zc=76116#toyota doesn't show any cash back incentives for your area (I picked a random Fort Worth zip) on the Prius, http://www.buyatoyota.com/Specials/SpecialOffersDetails.aspx?series=prius seems to claim there is a $1K incentive while http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/car-incentives.html says up to $750.